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I definately wouldn't replace the nylon bolts. I use 3/16 or 1/4 white nylon rope which is very stretchy almost like a bungy (not dock line which has very little stretch). I have never had my boat out without the tramps on so my situation is different from yours. Since you don't run with tramps you could try runnung a heavy bungy loop around the outermost front AKA hull brace (similar to what you have on the other end now). Then just add a second clip to the inside (something you can reach from the seat if you have a need to sometimes fold your AMA's in.
To test my setup I clipped all the lines in place, then I removed the AKA brace, it should swing back very easily for a foot or two as the line stretches out, allowing the AMA to swing in about half way. If you happen to have your tramps on at the time the safety rope is not enough resistance to prevent the tramp straps from breaking (if you do have a collision several tramp buckles will break you cant prevent that). The safety strap is really more of a shock obsorber than a rigid brace. For example if your coming in thru heavy surf and the boat gets sideways on you and drives into shore, the aka brace will break, then as the line stretches, it now takes out all your tramp straps, then finally snaps the safety line (it's only like 200 max lb test line) and the AMA finaly folds in all the way (this has happened to us a few times now). Not much you can do at the time except ride it out. I suspect that we were just lucky that the AKA bars didn't bend, I've seen several surf mishaps where the AKA bars were also trashed.
Bottom line, the safety strap does nothing for you in a collision (it just streches then snaps), but if your barreling along at 15-20 mph and you hit a boat wake or a gust buries your AMA, and snaps the AKA brace sheer bolt (we have sheered dozens of them), the only thing the strap does is prevent the AMA from folding in all the way (I won't save your tramp straps though, they snap like they aren't even there unfortunately, ( I always carry a couple spare tramp straps. I still have the old style tramp straps on my ti, I believe the newer tramps have much stronger straps, which might prevent the AMA's from folding in (I have no idea, I haven't tried the new straps). You still have to stop and make repairs ( it's just easier to repair without the boat upside down (lol)). You can test all this stuff out yourself, just take the AKA brace off then pull back on the AMA, you can watch the tramp buckles break (if you have tramps), then watch the safety line stretch, then eventually break. Actually it might be worth sacrificing a sheer bolt just so you can get a feel for what it takes to break (not much at all), then watch what happens as the safety line stretches then eventually breaks, everything is easily replaced. Another good test would be to put the safety strap in place, then on purpose unclip one of your AKA bars and see how far it comes out. On the newer boats the bungys that hold the AMA's on are now much stronger, so the AMA's are not as likely to fall off, but it's not a bad idea to actually test them, if you apply 30 lbs of downward force on the AMA and the bungy stretches and the AMA pops off the bottom, it's time to replace those bungys ( I've seen several older TI's , with badly stretched and worn out bungy's). If you have a little tension on the safety strap it does help prevent the AMA's from rattling around and falling off. I'm just a firm believer it actually testing everything to make certain it does what I think it will do, before it happens in real dire conditions thats all.
I'm pretty sure none of this makes any sense to anyone right now but come this fall when hobie releases there new reacher sail and hopefully jib, all of a sudden people will begin to realize and understand what I've been talking about. My opinion is the best thing you can do for yourself is with the boat on shore, grab the ama and give it a light jerk, then watch what happens, don't take my word for it , try it yourself....
Bob
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